In a happy turn of events, Tokyo was chosen to host the 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. As we prepare for the events 7 years from now, Japan's equestrian athletes and riders would really like to get their hands on a medal, something the country has not managed to do in a long while. For that to happen, as Mr. KUSANO says in this issue, we hope that Japan's equestrian circles will take this opportunity to make efficient use of domestically produced horses with improved qualities and hone their riding and training techniques.
Equine Comings and Goings features "Festival Derived from the Bonds between Man and Horse: Nambu-Morioka Chagu Chagu Umakko" by Makoto SASAMORI. This traditional festival is hand-crafted and passed down by farmers and ordinary citizens. As a facet of traditional horse culture in Japan, it has been selected by the Agency for Cultural Affairs as an intangible cultural asset. The author also presents the origin of the phrase "chagu chagu umakko" and introduces the horses' costumes. In "Examining Different Opinions about the Preservation of Japanese Native Horses―A Visit to Cape Toi and Southern Kyushu Island, " Kota IWATA details certain types of recommendations for preservation activities for native Japanese horses' breeds and environments as well as equine culture, after listening to the Scientific Sessions Symposium of the 25th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Equine Science. It is something you'll want to use as a reference. In "The Basics of Contagious Diseases in Horses―How to Protect Cherished Horses," Toru ANZAI summarizes in an easily understood form the basics, as well as measures and methods, for protecting one's horse from the main contagious diseases in Japan and abroad, presenting the information in chart form. In "Riding Horse Production in Japan―Production Incentives for Domestic Japanese Horses," Shinichi KUSANO analyzes horse-related material from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries to make inferences about the horse riding population, the number of riding horses, domestic horse production, and the horse market, etc., and he recommends measures for increasing future domestic horse production. Yoshio TAJIMA bases his article, "Nanae Kan-en's Horse Improvement Program," on old materials at Nanae Kan-en, which is believed to be the place of origin for Japan's horse production program. He interprets records about Daikei Hakodate, stud horses, and broodmares, for example, and manages to establish a clear picture of Japan's horse improvement program.
The special article by Taro MIURA, "A Look at the Social Significance of the Dubai WorldCup," takes a stab at discussing the significance of the Dubai World Cup, which has the world's largest prize money and doesn't sell betting slips. Mr. Miura writes that the ruler of Dubai has invited the general public and guests from overseas to the horse races, viewing it as a meeting place, with the intention of internationalizing Dubai and earning prestige for himself. In "Deauville―A City for Hippophiles" by Mari KOMATSU, the wife of Japan's ambassador to France writes a poetic essay about such topics as a French racetrack, a horse auction market, polo match watching, and a scene of horse-training on the beach. Akiko MIURA presents a review of "Giddy Up at the Soma-Nomaoi―Overcoming the Great East Japan Earthquake," the winner of the FY2012 JRA Equine Culture Award. We have Ms. Miura write a review for every issue, and regardless of whether you've seen the documentary or not, reading this review is likely to give you a deeper understanding of it. Toshihiko KANEDA wrote "Introducing a University Equestrian Club: Utsunomiya University." This equestrian club is marking the 90th anniversary of its founding, and it has a long history and tradition. Since Utsunomiya was a military city when the club was established, it has borrowed horses and tracks from the military regiment. At present, it holds a horseback riding competition for neighboring residents, and it is hosting its 65th Invitational East Japan Student Equestrian Tournament. Challenges the club faces these days include ensuring a sufficient number of members plus the fact that many of their horses are old, so they are struggling when it comes to teaching students how to break in new horses. I hope that someone will provide or introduce to them some new horses.
In Notifications, we have listed the 26th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Equine Science and a guide to the Lifelong Training for Veterinarians hosted by the Japan Veterinarians' Association for Local Government Racing. We look forward to a large turnout. |
No.54
